The Lung Cancer Institute

Medical Minutes with Subroto Paul, MD

The Lung Cancer Institute at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston,
NJ is committed to partnering with patients by offering lung cancer education,
screening, diagnostic tools and treatment options. We are dedicated to
providing quality care and achieving the highest level of patient satisfaction.

Lung Cancer Treatment Options

At the Lung Cancer Institute, conveniently located in Essex County, New
Jersey, we provide a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to lung
cancer care. Our team of lung cancer specialists has experience in treating
both early-stage and complex cases of lung cancer. Our goal is to provide
each patient with a personalized treatment plan that matches their needs,
and offers the lowest risk and highest chance of cure.

We hold bi-weekly conferences to review cases and discuss optimal treatment
options for our patients with lung cancer. This conference helps ensure
that all of the lung cancer specialists provide lung cancer treatment
options that are tailored to the needs of each individual patient.

Surgery. During surgery, the lung cancer and a margin of healthy tissue are removed.
In some cases, lymph nodes from the chest may also be removed to check
them for signs of cancer.

Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. These drugs may be given
through a vein in the arm or taken orally. Typically, a combination of
drugs is given in a series of treatments over a period or weeks or months,
with breaks in between.

Radiation therapy. This uses high-powered energy beams to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy
can be directed at the lung cancer from outside the body in a procedure
called external beam radiation. Alternatively, radiation therapy can be
put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body close
to the cancer. This is called brachytherapy. Radiation therapy may be
used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells, or it may be used
as the first treatment option for lung cancers that can’t be removed
with surgery. In advanced lung cancer, radiation therapy may be used to
relieve pain and other symptoms.

Targeted drug therapy. This term refers to newer cancer treatments that work by targeting specific
abnormalities in cancer cells. Some targeted therapies only work in people
whose cancer cells have certain genetic mutations. Targeted therapies
are often in combination with chemotherapy drugs.

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, you and your doctor will work
together to choose the lung cancer treatment options that are right for
you based on several factors, such as your overall health, the type and
stage of your cancer, and your personal preferences.

Free Lung Cancer Screening for Eligible Patients

The Lung Cancer Institute at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston,
NJ has joined the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program to offer
a free, life-saving test for early detection of lung cancer. The free
program includes low-dose CT screening for individuals who are at high
risk for developing lung cancer.

Eligible patients include:

Current or former smokers between the ages of 55 and 74 with a history
of 30 pack-years or more. A pack-year is the number of packs smoked per
day multiplied by the number of years smoked. For example, one pack per
day for 30 years equals 30 pack-years.

Those ages 50 years and older with a 20 pack-year smoking history and one
of the following: